NEW in Ottawa: Understanding Moral Injury

Brains and Barstools brings captivating professors to bars in Canada for vivid lectures that spark curiosity and connection over drinks. On October 21st, we present in Ottawa : "Understanding Moral Injury" by Prof. Andrea Ashbaugh. What happens when an experience challenges your deepest beliefs about right and wrong? Moral injury explores the psychological impact of experiences that conflict with our values - and why some people are more affected by them than others. In this lecture, Dr. Andrea Ashbaugh will introduce the science of moral injury, drawing on qualitative research to explore how people understand and make sense of these experiences. She’ll then take us into the lab, where novel virtual reality environments are being used to study how people respond to morally challenging situations and what might explain differences in their responses. Blending clinical psychology with innovative experimental research, this lecture offers a fascinating look at the relationship between our values, experiences, and behaviour - and how researchers are developing new ways to understand it. 💡 About the incredible Prof. Andrea Ashbaugh Andrea R. Ashbaugh, PhD, C.Psych is Full Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa and a licensed clinical psychologist. She earned her PhD from Concordia University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Psychiatry at McGill University and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute. Dr. Ashbaugh specializes in the cognitive behavioural treatment of fear- and anxiety-based disorders and researches the development and maintenance of stress-related disorders, including moral injury. She is a past president of the Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies and serves on the Training and Accreditation Committee of the World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies. 📅 Date: October 21st, 2026 🕡 Time: 6:30 – 8:30 PM 📍 Location: The Nelson Pub & Eatery, Ottawa 🎤 Speaker: Prof. Andrea Ashbaugh 🎟 Seats are limited!